Presser-foot for sewing-machines



(ModeL) E. J. TOOF. PRESSER FOOT FOR'SBWING MACHINES.

Patented Feb. 3,1891.

11W NT I 0R. {i% W ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

EDWIN J. root, on NEW nAvnN, connncriou'r.

PRESSER-FOOT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,912, dated February3, 1891.

Application filed November 12, 1883. Serial No 111,598. (Model) To allwhom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. TOOF, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New Haven, county of New Haven, and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPresser-Feet for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification. i

My invention consists in the combination, with a supporting shank orframe, of an elastic foot or sole serving as a presser and separator, asupplemental presser, and a guide, constructed in a manner as willhereinafter be set forth in detail, the object of the elasticity of saidfoot or sole being to allow the lattera more gentle resistance to thefeed-dog, in order that between the two engaging surfacesanyimperfection or seam may pass without undue retention, which in thelatter instance is apt to change the uniformity of stitelr ing. Itserves to separate the under strip (where two or more are to be united)from those above, and by such separation undue stretching is largelyavoided, as the feeder in this instance has only the strip between itand the presser to force along, the onesabove riding along freely asthey are impinged by a slight spring above and being carried along asthe lower strip is advanced, thereby largely avoiding slipping of theone piece on the other, as when two or more strips are to be fed alongby the feed-dog between it and the presser in the ordinary manner.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a rear end view of myinvention; Figs. 2 and 3, side views, (opgosite;) Fig. 4, bottom viewinperspective of the foot or sole detached from the shank of thepresser-foot. Fig. 5 represents a perspective View of my attachment withthe foot or sole ready to be swung into position.

A is the shank part of the presser-foot, adapted for connection with thepresser-bar of the sewing-machine, and D is the foot or sole thereofproper, and C is a spring-tongueservingasasecondarypresser,locatedbetween the part B, which forms thesupport for said tongue, and the foot D. The part forming the foot andframe; to which the springtongue is attached, is in this instance formedof plate or sheet metal by bending into the required shape, so as toform the elastic foot or sole thereof. It will appear obvious, however,to those skilled in the art that plate or sheet metal is not essentialto its proper construction, for the reason that the part referred to maybe cast, or it may be formed by the milling process or otherwise and beequally applicable for the purposes required. It will be also observedthat in the particular method shown in the drawings for combining theparts, the foot proper and the shank part are formed in two pieces; butthis is not essential, for the reason that the parts may be formed inone piece by casting, milling, or otherwise; yet I prefer to constructthe parts separately, in order that the'shank part may be used. for thepurpose of connecting other devices for use in conjunction with thestitching 1nechanism. The foot and frame partof my improved invention isprovided with projections adapted to connect with corresponding openingscontained in the shank part of the presser-foot. which features areshown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The projections, however,may be reversed-that is to say, instead of providing the frame or footproper with the requisite projections, they may be formed upon the shankwhich is to support the former, and their function would bethesame.'lhelongitudinalslitwithwhich the sole part of the presser is provided(more clearly shown ata in Fig. at of the drawings) is consideredimportant in such a device for the purpose of allowing the two pieces ofmaterial united by stitching to be fed along without obstruction beneaththe presser, which could not be done without such slit or opening.

The operation of myimproved presser-foot is as follows: \Vhenin positionfor operation,

the strip desired to be fed along and to which other parts are to besecured is placed upon the cloth-plate of the sewing-machine above andupon the feed-dog beneath the presserfoot part D, which is let down uponthe material in the usual manner under pressure, and the other strip isdrawn between the top of the part D and the spring-tongue orsupplemental presser O, beneath the needle, for the stitching process,where it is carried along by riding upon the top of the under stripunder slight tension from the presser 0.. In this way slipping or unduepulling upon the up per strip is avoided, and the feed-dog is notrequired to force along two or more pieces between itand thepresser-foot, and by this method undue overstretchingand gathering ofthe material is largely, if not entirely, avoided, and by reason of theslit or opening, before referred to, with which the sole or bottom ofthe presser is provided, the strips united by stitching above and belowthe sole, which serves as a separator, are permitted to move alongwithout check or hinderance.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

A prosscr-foot for sewing-machines, consisting of a frame, an elastic oryielding sole supported thereby below the same through the medium of aconnecting-piece or shank, which latter forms a guide, a supplementalspring-presser 0, supported by said frame above the said elastic oryielding sole, and a supporting-shank for connection with a presser-bar,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

EDWIN J. TOOF. \Vitnesses:

JOHN DANE, Jr., JOSEPH M. CRANE.

